Clarke should welcome young people, not drive them away

Posted: Tuesday, May 20, 2003

I have been following the rental registration debate closely. Are we trying to run the youth of our county to other counties? I know very few, if any, young married couples who can afford to buy a home, but does that mean their young children do not need a yard to play in? Why do we want to treat members of our community like outcasts just because the police will not enforce the laws presently on the books?

Instead of running people out, why not welcome them? Ask them to church, to supper. You may find there are some great people out there who just cannot afford to buy a home right now. We throw such a fuss when the Census Bureau wants to know who we are and yet we're so quick to invade others' privacy. Sounds kind of phony doesn't it? Hitler's first step was to start registering the Jewish people, and we know what hate-filled years that led to. Let's be good citizens and teach citizenship, not hate. You never know who your neighbor is until you make the effort.